‘Steady Eddie’ keeps plugging along

Cole Linehan just keeps plugging along, and plugging up the middle of the line for the Oregon defense.

The fifth-year senior, described as “steady Eddie” by UO coach Mike Bellotti, is on pace to start his 22nd career game for the Ducks at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against Stanford in Autzen Stadium. If Linehan’s 14 tackles through nine games this season have gone unnoticed by some, his production hasn’t been overlooked by teammates and coaches.

“He’s been a very steady football player that we can count on,” Bellotti said. “He knows what to do. He understands the defense, and does a great job with that.”

There may not be a less glamorous position in football than defensive tackle, and certainly not on that side of the ball. Linebackers and safeties get all the tackles. Cornerbacks snare interceptions. Defensive ends pile up sacks.

Linehan, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound native of Banks, has one sack in each of his four seasons with the Ducks. This year, he recovered a fumble for the first time.

“He’s not flashy,” UO defensive line coach Michael Gray said. But, the coach added, “he does a lot of blue-collar work for us. He’s consistent. He does a lot of dirty work.” Click here to continue reading the story.

The subject of this week’s “Grilled Duck” Q&A by Adam Jude is UO punter Josh Syria, who, “discusses his unusual journey to Oregon, his powerful right leg and his recent interest in golf, a sport it seems that was made for kickers and pitchers. Like a good golfer dissecting a putt, Syria has a knack of recalling a particular punt in great detail, even some from years past.” Click here to read the Q&A.

Finally, another recruiting scoop from Rivals.com: five-star safety Craig Loston will apparently visit Eugene this week along with five-star running back Bryce Brown. There are some interesting connections here; while Brown is a Wichita, Kan., native who knows Chris Harper well, Loston appears to be from Aldine, Texas, the same hometown as Oregon’s Darron Thomas.